Subscriber service profiles in telecommunication system

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a telecommunication system comprising subscribers, a subscriber network, terminals for connecting the subscribers with the subscriber network and a set of services comprising network-specific services and supplementary services provided by the network and supplementary services transmitted by the network. In order to provide the subscriber with subscriber-specific service profiles differing from one another, the system further comprises memory means (SPR) including at least for one network subscriber not less than two different subscriber-specific ( 51 ) service profiles ( 52 ) comprising services defined for the subscriber from the set of services. The invention further relates to a mobile station and a subscriber register which can be utilized in the telecommunication system. The invention also relates to a method that can be applied to the telecommunication system.

This application is the national phase of international applicationPCT/FI98/00926 filed Nov. 25, 1998 which designated the U.S.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to subscriber service profiles in atelecommunication network, by which service profiles different servicecombinations, possibly also comprising subscriber terminal settings, aredefined for a subscriber. The invention particularly relates tosubscriber service profiles in a mobile network, but can also beutilized in other telecommunication networks.

The development of technology has made it possible to offer differentservices via a telecommunication network, such as a wired network or amobile telephone network. In addition to basic services andsupplementary services specific for the network, the network subscriberhas access to the supplementary services transmitted by the network.Below the basic services and the supplementary services specific for thenetwork will be referred to as the network-specific services and thesupplementary services transmitted by the network will be referred to asthe supplementary services. The supplementary services are, for example,services offered via an Intelligent Network (IN), such as a PersonalNumber in which the intelligent network reroutes the calls made to apersonal number in the way instructed by the subscriber. Servicesdelivered in text mode via short messages are also offered to mobilenetwork subscribers. In addition to conventional mobile originating andmobile terminating short messages, a subscriber can receive, forexample, notices, advertisements, personal reminders and eveninformation via Internet through what is known as Smart Messaging.

Simultaneously as the supply of services increases the mobilecommunication systems and particularly their terminals develop in such amanner that people can freely move away from fixed terminals withoutthat it becomes more difficult to reach them. However, telecommuting,which allows people to stay at home and to work utilizing a hometerminal, has become increasingly popular. Wired network or mobiletelephone network terminals are therefore being increasingly used forvarious purposes and in different situations.

The versatility of the services offered and the use of the same terminalfor work and for pleasure have created a need to classify the availableservices according to situation, place and/or time. Different servicesare needed in different situations, and very often people wish to keepbusiness and private telephone bills apart.

In a digital mobile communication system, such as the pan-Europeanmobile communication system GSM (Global System for MobileCommunication), various service profiles can be defined for thesubscriber concerning the services specific for the mobile communicationsystem. In the GSM system a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card isused for identifying the subscriber, the SIM card being a processorcard, or a smart card, placed in the terminal and comprising for exampleinformation needed for identifying the subscriber, such as anInternational Mobile Subscriber Identity IMSI. In the GSM system thesubscriber can have for himself/herself two different subscriberprofiles associated with a single SIM card, in other words with a singlesubscriber identity IMSI, both subscriber profiles having their owntelephone numbers, or subscriber numbers MSISDN. One of the subjectsthat is being standardized in Phase 2+ of the GSM system in ETSI(European Telecommunication Standard Institute) is Multiple SubscriberProfiles (MSP). There various profiles formed from the GSM systemservices defined for the subscriber are connected with the SIM card andthe subscriber identity IMSI. When a single numbering scheme is used anunambiguous subscriber number MSISDN is associated with each profile. Ina multi-numbering scheme it is possible to give each basic service anunambiguous subscriber number MSISDN in each profile. Whichevernumbering scheme is used, each profile has its own identifier by whichthe subscriber can choose the profile to be used, for example whenhe/she is making a call. The different subscriber profiles are kept in ahome location register HLR, which is a subscriber database. Using theinformation in the HLR, the MSISDN numbers can be associated with thecorrect subscriber identity IMSI.

A problem with the arrangement described above is that in addition tothe network-specific basic services the service profiles do not includeother than network-specific supplementary services. For example, inmobile communication systems neither different short message andintelligent network services nor the settings specific for the mobilestation cannot be attached to the service profile. Another problem isthat the service profiles and the services they offer are based onseparate subscriber numbers. Then the subscriber has to remember whichservice and/or which service combination each subscriber number uses.This complicates the life of the subscriber particularly when he/she isgiving his/her contact information: he/she may have three differentsubscriber numbers connected with speech services in the work-relatedprofiles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to develop a system and an equipment thatwill be used in the system in such a manner that the problems describedabove can be solved. The objects of the invention are achieved with atelecommunication system comprising subscribers, a subscriber network,terminals for connecting subscribers to the subscriber network, and aset of services comprising services provided by the network andsupplementary services transmitted by the network and memory meansincluding for at least one network subscriber not less than twodifferent subscriber-specific service profiles comprising servicesdefined for the subscriber from the set of services, thetelecommunication system being characterized by further comprisingchanging means for changing the service profile being used by thesubscriber to another service profile, and update means responsive tothe changing means for sending the service settings of the serviceprofile to units comprising information needed for providing theservices.

Here subscriber-specific means subscriber-number-specific, or if it isnot desired to connect the services with the subscriber number, they canbe connected with another subscriber identifier, in which casesubscriber-specific means identifier-specific.

The invention also relates to a mobile station which can be used in thetelecommunication system of the invention. The mobile station of theinvention is characterized by further comprising message composing meansfor providing an inquiry message for detecting at least onesubscriber-specific service profile of the subscriber, the serviceprofile comprising services defined for the subscriber and settingswhich are defined from the network-specific services, the supplementaryservices transmitted by the network and the settings specific for themobile station, the inquiry message indicating the subscriber and theservice profiles to be detected; reception means for receiving anacknowledgement message comprising all subscriber service profiles andtheir contents inquired in the inquiry message; a user interface fordisplaying each received service profile to the subscriber; changingmeans for changing a first available service profile to a second serviceprofile, and setting means responsive to the changing means for changingthe values of the mobile station settings in accordance with the secondservice profile.

The invention further relates to a subscriber register which can beutilized in the telecommunication system of the invention. Thesubscriber register is a part of a telecommunication network and offersthe network subscribers a set of services comprising thenetwork-specific services and supplementary services transmitted by thenetwork, and comprises a subscriber-specific service profile list for atleast one network subscriber, the list including not less than twodifferent service profiles, the service profiles containing at least apart of the services that are defined for the subscriber from the set ofservices. The subscriber register of the invention is characterized byfurther comprising reception means for receiving an inquiry messageindicating the subscriber and at least one service profile, messagecomposing means responsive to the reception means for providing anacknowledgement message comprising all subscriber service profiles andtheir contents indicated in the inquiry message, and transmission meansfor sending the acknowledgement message.

The invention further relates to a subscriber register which can beutilized in the telecommunication system of the invention. Thesubscriber register is a part of a telecommunication network and offersthe network subscribers a set of services comprising thenetwork-specific services and supplementary services transmitted by thenetwork, and comprises a subscriber-specific service profile list for atleast one network subscriber, the list including not less than twodifferent service profiles, the service profiles containing at least apart of the services that are defined for the subscriber from the set ofservices. The subscriber register of the invention is characterized byfurther comprising reception means for receiving a profile changemessage indicating the subscriber and at least one service profile,message composing means responsive to the reception means for providingupdate messages for service units comprising information needed forproviding services, and transmission means for sending the updatemessages.

The invention also relates to a method which can be applied to thetelecommunication system, to the mobile station and to the subscriberregister of the invention. The method of the invention is characterizedby defining a set of services for each network subscriber, the set ofservices comprising services defined for the subscriber from thenetwork-specific services and supplementary services and subscriberterminal settings if the terminal can change its settings; forming forat least one subscriber not less than two different service profilesboth comprising at least one service from the set of services; storingeach formed service profile in a subscriber-specific service profilelist; changing a first service profile used by the subscriber to asecond service profile; and, in response to the service profile change,updating the subscriber-specific values of the units needed in providingservices associated with the subscriber service profile to correspondwith the second service profile.

The idea of the invention is that the service information associatedwith the services the subscriber uses are concentrated in one place. Theadvantage of the system of the invention is thus that the subscriber isable to use the versatile service profiles comprising all the servicesdefined for him/her by the use of which he/she easily changes e.g. theoperation of all services by changing only a piece of information, or aprofile. The subscriber does no longer have to remember what servicesthe network offers, or which services do not change when profiles arechanged. Another advantage is that the subscriber does not need morethan one subscriber number, although he/she may use various serviceprofiles, because subscriber-specific service profiles or the servicesthey contain are not separated from one another on the basis of thesubscriber number.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, when the subscriber haschanged his/her service profile, the settings of the service units, suchas the service database of the home location register HLR and theIntelligent network of the GSM system comprising the information neededin providing services, are updated to correspond with the changedservice profile using normal updating routines. This has the advantagethat current network elements can be utilized as before and no changesare needed. Furthermore, updating is used to see to it that all servicesprovided by the network are in accordance with the service profile.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention the service profile ischanged at a predetermined point of time. This has the advantage thatthe subscriber does not have to attend to the profile changeshimself/herself, but for example the work profile automatically changesto the home profile in the evening, and in the morning the change isautomatically reversed.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention in which the terminal is amobile station, the service profile changes to another when the mobilestation location changes. The advantage of this embodiment too is thatthe user does not have to attend to the profile changes.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention in which the terminalis a mobile station, the subscriber can form service profiles forhimself/herself from the set of services defined for the subscriber viathe mobile station. This has the advantage that the subscriber can formtailor-made service profiles for himself/herself, and even as many ashe/she desires.

The preferred embodiments of the system, the mobile station and thesubscriber register of the invention are disclosed in the attacheddependent claims 2, 3, 6-8 and 10.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in greater detail in connection with thepreferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, in which

FIG. 1 shows the parts of a mobile communication system that areessential to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows an example of a mobile station subscriber service profiles,

FIG. 3 illustrates signalling according to a first preferred embodimentof the invention in connection with a service profile change,

FIG. 4 illustrates signalling according to the first preferredembodiment of the invention in connection with a service profileforming,

FIG. 5 illustrates signalling according to a second preferred embodimentof the invention in connection with the service profile change,

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a mobile station according to thefirst preferred embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a service profile register accordingto the second preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is applicable to different types oftelecommunication systems in which a subscriber has access to subscribernetwork-specific services and services transmitted by the subscribernetwork, such as intelligent network services. In the following, thepreferred embodiments of the invention will be described using the GSMsystem as an example, although not restricting the invention to anyparticular telecommunication system. It should be noted that a mobilecommunication network only offers a physical connection and a platformfor providing services for a mobile station MS subscriber, and that theprecise operation and structure of the mobile communication network arenot relevant to the invention.

The basic structure of a GSM system 1 is shown in FIG. 1. The structureof a GSM network 2 comprises two parts: a Base Station Subsystem BSS anda Network Subsystem NSS. The BSS and the mobile stations MS communicateusing radio connections. In the base station subsystem BSS each cell isserved by a Base Transceiver Station BTS. A set of base transceiverstations BTS are connected to a Base Station Controller BSC, whosefunction is to control the radio frequencies and radio channels used bythe base transceiver station BTS. The base station controllers BSC areconnected to a Mobile Switching Centre MSC. The task of the mobileswitching centre is to connect calls in which at least one mobilestation MS takes part. Some mobile switching centres MSC are linked toother telecommunication networks, such as a Public Switched TelephoneNetwork PSTN, and they comprise functions for connecting calls to andfrom these networks. Such mobile switching centres are called gatewayMSCs. Some mobile switching centres can also be connected to anIntelligent Network IN for transmitting intelligent network services tothe subscriber. In this application an intelligent network means both anintelligent network and other service platforms similar to theintelligent network. For short message services, the system 1 comprisesShort Message Service Centres SMSC and Short Message Service GatewaysSMSGW of the GSM network 2. The SMSGW is a name common to a GatewayMobile Switching Centre for Short Message Service SMS-GMSC and anInterworking Mobile Switching Centre for Short Message ServiceSMS-IWMSC. Short messages can be sent to and from a mobile station fromdifferent service centres and using various networks in such a way thatthe short message is delivered via the short message service centreSMSC. In this application the short message service centre SMSC alsorepresents other service centres associated with different serviceprotocols, such as an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data Centrewhich is being developed and which offers, for example, interactiveservices or services connected with calls from the network using USSDsignalling.

Two types of databases are associated with the routing of the calls.Subscriber information of all network 2 subscribers, includinginformation about those services specific for the network 2 to which thesubscriber has access, and about the current location of the subscriber,are permanently or semi-permanently stored in a home location registerHLR. Another type of register is a visitor location register VLR. Thevisitor location register VLR is generally connected to one mobileswitching centre MSC, but it can also serve several centres. The visitorlocation register VLR can be integrated into the mobile switching centreMSC. When the mobile station MS is active (it has registered into thenetwork and is able to start or receive a call), the majority of thesubscriber information on the mobile station MS in the home locationregister HLR is loaded (copied) into the visitor location register VLRof the mobile switching centre MSC in whose area the mobile station MSis.

In the GSM system of the example the user of the mobile station isidentified by a subscriber-specific identification unit, a SIM card,comprising for example a subscriber identifier IMSI. Using theinformation in the home register, the phone number, or the subscribernumber MSISDN, can be connected with the subscriber identifier IMSIirrespective of how many subscriber numbers there are.

The service profiles of the invention are stored in the subscriberregister, which is called a Service Profile Register SPR in thisapplication. It can also be integrated into the home location registerHLR or it can be integrated into another register in the network. Anexample of the subscriber service profiles is shown in FIG. 2, and theservice profile register is described in greater detail in FIG. 7.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the subscriber-specific service profiles of aGSM subscriber. Here subscriber-specific meanssubscriber-number-specific. If two or more subscriber numbers aredefined for the mobile station subscriber identifier, then specificservice profile lists can be defined for each subscriber number: forexample, in FIG. 2 the profiles work_reachable and work_engaged could bedefined for subscriber number 1 and the rest of the profiles forsubscriber number 2. However, in the first and the second embodiments ofthe invention it is assumed that the subscriber has one subscribernumber for which the different profiles are defined. The appearance andthe implementation of the service profile list shown in FIG. 2 maydiffer from what is shown in the Figure.

Column 3 of FIG. 2 shows features which are given values in columns 4A,4B, 4C and 4D. The feature list of column 3 is at the same time aservice profile basis comprising all the services defined for thesubscriber and any terminal settings in the service profiles. Theservice profile basis can be utilized when service profiles are formed.The feature list shown in FIG. 2 is only an example and meant toillustrate the invention.

The profile identifier in the feature list shown in column 3 of FIG. 2is a name to be given to the profile or another identifier unambiguouslyidentifying the service profile regarding this subscriber. Two differentsubscribers using the same profile identifier does not cause confusion.In this example a state of the profile has been included in the featurelist. The profile state tells us which profile is currently being used.A mobile station menu feature tells us which of the alternative menus ofthe mobile station is being used in each profile. This feature isnaturally not needed if there are not several menus available. A callforwarding feature is a supplementary service of the GSM network,comprising four different situations in all in which the call forwardingoccurs. A call barring feature means a network-specific supplementaryservice in which calls to certain numbers or to numbers beginning with acertain number series are barred. However, it is possible to callemergency numbers even if all calls are barred. An ordinary shortmessage feature indicates if short messages normally transmitted in theGSM network can be sent from the mobile station and if so, then viawhich short message centre. E-mail and fax features are here associatedwith the supplementary services delivered as a short message service. Apersonal number means a service offered by the intelligent network, inwhich service the intelligent network reroutes the calls made to thepersonal number in the way the subscriber has instructed. A ‘when will Iarrive’ short message feature indicates a service in which the time ofarrival is automatically inquired in connection with the profile changeand the short message is automatically sent to a predetermined number. Aringing tone feature is a feature associated with the mobile stationsettings, by which the ringing tone to be used in each profile can bechosen.

One of the profiles shown in FIG. 2 is the work_reachable profile whichis currently being used. The mobile station menu is menu3. Of the callforwarding features, this service profile does not include forward all.When the phone is engaged or when no answer is received, the calls aretransferred to an answering unit1. If the mobile station is not reached,then the calls are transferred to the fixed work phone of thesubscriber, whose phone number is ISDN1. Conventional short messages canbe sent by the mobile station via the short message service centreSMSC1. The subscriber also has e-mail, fax and a personal number athis/her disposal, the personal number being given a routinginstruction1. A conventional ringing tone is chosen as the mobilestation ringing tone. Other features are not chosen for the serviceprofile. When the work_engaged service profile shown in FIG. 2 is beingused, then the mobile station menu is menu2 which is an extremelysimplified menu comprising only the indication of the service profileselected and the option of changing the service profile. All calls madeto the mobile station are directly transferred to the secretary tonumber MSISDN2. Even though the calls are barred, the phone can be usedfor sending conventional short messages via the short message servicecentre SMSC1. The ringing tone of the phone is soundless so that theshort messages received would not cause disturbance. When thework_engaged service profile is selected, the subscriber is asked aboutthe return time, and on the basis of his/her reply a ‘I will return atreturn time’ short message is automatically sent to the secretary tonumber MSISDN2.

The leisure time and holiday service profiles shown in FIG. 2 differonly slightly from one another. When one of them is used, then themobile station menu is menu3, which differs somewhat from menu1 andmenu2. Both have as an option the forwarding of all calls, by which allcalls can be transferred to a desired number, which, however, is notworth programming permanently. In both service profiles the calls aretransferred to an answering unit2 when the phone is engaged or to ananswering unit3 when no answer is received from the mobile station orwhen the mobile station cannot be reached. Different answering units canhave different kinds of messages. Calls to entertainment lines arebarred in both service profiles. Conventional short messages can be sentwith the mobile station via the short message service centre SMSC2 inboth service profiles. A conventional ringing tone is chosen as themobile station ringing tone in both. The profiles differ from oneanother in that a personal number service is used only in the leisureprofile on a routing instruction 2, and in that when the holiday profileis chosen, the subscriber is asked about the end of the holiday, and onthe basis of the reply, a ‘return at end of holiday’ short message isautomatically sent to number MSISDN2 to the secretary.

The service profiles presented above are only examples and meant toillustrate the invention. For example, information allowing separatebilling can be attached to the profiles. Conditions tied to time and/orplace can be associated with the profiles, the fulfilled conditionstriggering a profile change. The location can be determined on the basisof the cell or the geographical coordinates. Corresponding profiles canbe defined for fixed network subscribers too. For example, a fixednetwork subscriber could have two different profiles, the first onebeing a work profile and the second one a leisure time profile. Theprofiles could differ from one another regarding the routinginstructions, call forwarding or prefixes of the personal number. Thefixed network home user could, in turn, be using time-bound profiles,known as day profiles and night profiles, comprising different callbarring and intelligent network services.

FIG. 3 shows the signalling associated with the service profile changeaccording to the first preferred embodiment of the invention, in whichit is assumed that the mobile station attends to the updating of theservice units in connection with the service profile change. Here aservice unit means a unit or a network element comprising subscriberinformation needed for providing services, for example, information onwhether the subscriber is entitled to have services. The service unit isassumed to be a mobile station subscriber's home location register HLR,in which information defined for the subscriber on the GSM networkservices and their values is maintained. An intelligent network pointIN/P is here marked as the service unit associated with the intelligentnetwork services to describe the network elements in which subscriberinformation of the intelligent network or of other service platforms ofthe intelligent network type are stored. Correspondingly the subscriberinformation associated with the short message services or with otherservice protocols that are not stored in the home location register HLRare stored in the service producer-specific registers, which are hererepresented by the short message service centre SMSC.

With reference to FIG. 3 the mobile station user wishes to know whatservice profiles he/she has. Therefore he/she requests the informationvia a mobile station user interface. The mobile station MS sends asignalling message 3-1 (GetProfiles) inquiring about service profiles tothe service profile register SPR in order to obtain the subscriberservice profiles. If the user knows which profile information he/shewishes to have or if he/she wishes to have only the profile names, thenthe parameters indicating the kind of information desired are attachedto the signalling message. However, it is assumed in this example thathe/she wishes to know all service profiles including their contents.

After reception of the signalling message 3-1 the service profileregister searches for the service profiles defined for the mobilestation subscriber and sends them to the mobile station MS in asignalling message 3-2 (GetProfilesAck). If the mobile stationsubscriber is the one whose service profiles are presented in FIG. 2,the signalling message comprises the information presented in columns4A, 4B, 4C and 4D of FIG. 2.

When the mobile station has received the service profiles, they areshown to the mobile station user via the user interface. When the mobilestation user changes profiles in step 3-3 via the user interface, themobile station registers which profile was selected, analyses the choiceand compiles the update messages comprising the setting values of thechosen profile for the service units HLR, IN/P and SMSC. When the updatemessages are compiled the mobile station MS sends an update message 3-4(UpdateHLR) to the home location register, an update message 3-5(UpdateIN) to the corresponding intelligent network points IN/P and anupdate message 3-6 (UpdateSMSC) to the short message service centresSMSC. Because it was assumed in the example that information on theprofile that is being used at a given time is maintained in the serviceprofile registers, the mobile station MS sends an update message 3-7(Update SPR) to the service profile register SPR. If information on theused profile is not maintained in the service profile register, then theupdate message 3-7 is not needed.

The mobile station also updates its settings to correspond with thechosen profile in step 3-8. If for example the subscriber of FIG. 2changes his/her work_engaged service profile to a work_reachable serviceprofile, the mobile station changes its menu and its ringing tone.

The update signallings 3-4, 3-5, 3-6 and 3-7 and step 3-8 describedabove are not in an absolute chronological order but may occursimultaneously or in any order.

FIG. 4 shows the signalling according to the first preferred embodimentof the invention when the mobile station subscriber formshimself/herself a new service profile via the mobile station userinterface. When the subscriber has chosen to form a new profile from theuser interface menu, the mobile station MS sends a signalling message4-1 (GetProfiles(basic)) inquiring about service profiles to the serviceprofile register SPR in order to obtain the subscriber service profilebasis. As the mobile station knows on the basis of the subscriber menuchoice that a service profile basis is needed, it automatically attachesto the signalling message 4-1 a parameter by which the request isdirected to the service profile basis. In other embodiments the serviceprofile basis could also be requested by a separate signalling message.

After reception of the signalling message 4-1 the service profileregister searches for the service profile basis defined for thesubscriber and sends it to the mobile station MS in a signalling message4-2.(GetProfilesAck). If the mobile station subscriber is the one whoseservice profiles are illustrated in FIG. 2, then the signalling message4-2 comprises the information of column 3 presented in FIG. 2.

When the mobile station has received the service profile basis, it isshown to the mobile station user via the user interface. The userselects the services for the profile and their values in step 4-3 viathe user interface and the mobile station registers them. When theprofile is ready, the mobile station MS sends the service profileregister SPR a new profile to be stored in a subscriber service profileselection by a signalling message 4-4 (SaveProfile). The same signallingcan also be used when modifying an already existing service profile.Then the parameter of signalling message 4-1 would indicate the name ofthe profile to be modified.

FIG. 5 shows the signalling associated with the service profile changein the second preferred embodiment of the invention, in which it isassumed that the service profile register ensures the updating of theservice units in connection with the service profile change. The serviceunits are the same here as in FIG. 3. With reference to FIG. 5 themobile station user wishes to know which service profiles he/she has.Therefore he/she requests the information via the mobile station userinterface. The mobile station MS sends a signalling message 5-1(GetProfiles) inquiring about service profiles to the service profileregister SPR in order to obtain the subscriber service profiles. If theuser knows which profile information he/she wishes to have or if he/shewishes to have only the profile names, then the parameters indicatingthe kind of information desired are attached to the signalling message.However, it is assumed in this example that he/she wishes to know allthe service profiles including their contents.

After reception of the signalling message 5-1 the service profileregister searches for the service profiles defined for the mobilestation subscriber and sends them to the mobile station MS in asignalling message 5-2 (GetProfilesAck). If the mobile stationsubscriber is the one whose service profiles are presented in FIG. 2then the signalling message comprises the information presented incolumns 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D of FIG. 2.

When the mobile station has received the service profiles, they areshown to the mobile station user via the user interface. When the mobilestation user changes profiles via the user interface in step 5-3, themobile station sends a message concerning the profile change and thechosen profile to the service profile register SPR in a signallingmessage 5-4 (ChangeProfile). After reception of the signalling message5-4 the service profile register SPR analyses the choice, updates anyinformation of its own that the service profile change affects andcompiles the update messages comprising the setting values of the chosenprofile to the service units HLR, IN/P and SMSC and to the mobilestation MS in step 5-5. When the update messages are compiled theservice profile centre SPR sends an update message 5-6 (UpdateHLR) tothe home register, an update message 5-7 (UpdateIN) to the correspondingintelligent network points IN/P, an update message 5-8 (UpdateSMSC) tothe short message service centre SMSC and an update message 5-9(UpdateMS) to the mobile station MS. If the mobile station is able toupdate its settings to correspond with the chosen service profile, theservice profile centre does not have to send an update message 5-9 tothe mobile station.

The update signalling 5-6, 5-7, 5-8 and 5-9 described above are not inan absolute chronological order but may occur simultaneously or in anyorder and partly simultaneously with step 5-5.

The name of the signalling messages presented above in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5may differ from what has been presented above without that theinformation in the messages changes. The messages can also comprise moreinformation than what is mentioned above. Furthermore, all updatemessages do not have to be sent if the information to be stored in theservice unit has not changed. If the terminal does not support differentsettings and/or the changing of the settings from the network orotherwise automatically, then the update messages are not sent to theterminal.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the mobile station MS according to thefirst preferred embodiment of the invention. In the GSM system themobile station MS consists of an actual terminal and of a subscriberidentifier module SIM which is detachably connected to the terminal. TheSIM card used as a subscriber identifier unit in the GSM system, is aprocessor card, or a smart card, placed in the terminal and comprising,for example, information needed for identifying the subscriber, such asthe International Mobile Subscriber Identity IMSI, and a certain amountof memory M2. The actual terminal comprises a transceiver Tx/Rx withantennas, a user interface UI, a control unit CP and memory M1. Themobile station memory thus comprises two parts, a terminal memory M1 anda SIM card memory M2. The terminal settings are generally stored inmemory M1 but can also be stored in memory M2.

The user interface UI generally comprises a keyboard, a display, aloudspeaker and a microphone, which are not presented in FIG. 6. Withthe user interface UI the subscriber can study one or all serviceprofiles, view the contents of its service profiles, change the serviceprofile used and give further instructions to the control unit CP. Inthe first preferred embodiment, the subscriber can also form new serviceprofiles or modify already existing service profiles by using the userinterface UI.

The control unit CP obtains from the user interface-said inputsassociated with the service profiles. The control unit CP can indicatethe service profile used for the mobile station MS user via the userinterface UI, for example by a message or character appearing on thedisplay. The control unit CP can also give the mobile station user viathe user interface sound signals, text instructions or instructioncharacters associated with the mobile station and/or the function of themobile communication system in addition to showing service profiles. Thecontrol unit receives and sends, for example, signalling messages viathe transceiver Tx/Rx. When the user changes his/her service profile inthe first preferred embodiment, the control unit CP compiles on thebasis of the chosen profile the update messages presented in FIG. 3 andsends them to the corresponding service units. The control unit CP alsoensures that the mobile station settings in memories M1 and M2 areupdated to correspond with the service profile to which the user haschanged. In the other embodiments in which the mobile station attends tothe update messages, but in which something else than the user triggersthe service profile change, the control unit CP attends to the updatemessages and makes sure that the mobile station settings are updated asdescribed above and inquires, if needed, about the contents of theservice profile before updating. For example, a profile change messagearriving from the network can function as a trigger.

In the embodiments in which the mobile station does not attend to theupdate messages, the control unit CP can be arranged to change themobile station settings using the transceiver Tx/Rx in accordance withthe received update message.

In the first preferred embodiment the mobile station memory comprisesthe contact information of the service units associated with thesubscriber profiles in order to be able to send the update messages tothe correct destination. It is possible in the other embodiments tostore a location area for a service profile in the memory of the mobilestation, preferably in memory M2 of the SIM card. The location area canbe based either on cell information or on geographical co-ordinates.Then the mobile station control unit CP is arranged to detect thearrival at the location area and to trigger the service profile change.Similarly a schedule can also be stored in the mobile station memory,preferably in the SIM card memory M2, in which schedule the points oftime are determined and for each point of time is defined a serviceprofile which is switched to use at the beginning of the point of time.At this time the mobile station control unit comprises a time counter TCby which the points of time are detected and the control unit CPtriggers the profile change. If the mobile station does not attend tothe update messages, the control unit CP sends a message indicating theprofile change as a result of the profile change to the network unitattending to the update messages.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a service profile register of theinvention, which is here called a service profile register SPR. Theservice profile register SPR comprises a database part 5, an applicationpart 6 and a connection part 7. The database part 5 comprises a serviceprofile list 52 for at least one subscriber 51, an example of which isshown in FIG. 2. In the second preferred embodiment of the invention thedatabase part also comprises the contact information on the serviceunits associated with the subscriber profiles. The database part canalso comprise a subscriber-specific schedule in which the points of timeare determined and for each point of time is defined a service profile,which is switched to use at the beginning of the point of time.

Using the connection part 7 the service profile register SPR receivesand sends messages and information to the network infrastructure (thenetwork subsystem NSS and the base station subsystem BSS shown inFIG. 1) and to the service units outside the network infrastructure (theshort message service centre SMSC associated with the short messageservices and the intelligent network IN shown in FIG. 1) and to theterminals (the MS shown in FIG. 1) and communicates with the maintenancesystem of the network (not shown in the Figure).

The application part 6 identifies the messages inquiring about theservice profiles, is able to direct the message to the correctsubscriber and distinguishes the profile identifier or the specialrequest, such as an inquiry of profile names, found in the message. Theapplication part searches for the information indicated by the inquirymessage in the database service profile list and compiles a responsemessage, which is forwarded by the connection part 7. The applicationpart 6 also identifies the profile change messages and knows how toupdate the information of the service profile list in the database 5 inthose embodiments in which the information on the service profile thatis currently being used by the subscriber is maintained in the serviceprofile register.

In the first preferred embodiment the application part 6 also identifiesthe new service profile sent via the mobile station and knows how tostore it in the service profile list of the subscriber in the database5. Similarly the application part 6 can update the information of themodified service profile to the database 5. The application part 6 canreceive new and updated subscriber-specific service profiles also viathe network maintenance system and store them in the correct place inthe database 5.

When the user changes his/her service profile in the second preferredembodiment, the application part 6 compiles on the basis of the chosenprofile the update messages presented in connection with FIG. 5 andsends them to the corresponding service units. In the other embodimentsin which the service profile register attends to the update messages,but the information on the service profile change does not originatefrom the mobile station but from elsewhere, the application part 6attends to the update messages and to updating of the service profilelist as described above.

If the database part 5 comprises even a single subscriber-specificschedule, the register comprises a time counter (not shown in theFigure) by which the points of time of the service change are detected.Then the application part 6 attends to the change of the serviceprofiles in accordance with the schedule instructions depending on theembodiment either by compiling the update messages or by sending theprofile change command to the mobile station.

If the service profile register is integrated into the home register,the database part 5 can comprise a location area for a service profile;when the location area is arrived at, said service profile is changed tothe mobile station subscriber. The location area is then preferablybased on the cell information, and the location area information ischecked for example in connection with a normal mobile station locationupdate. The application part 6 is then arranged to detect the arrival atthe location area and to trigger the service profile change. As a resultof the triggering and depending on the embodiment the application part 6either starts to compile the update messages or to send the profilechange command to the mobile station.

The above description and the accompanying drawings are only intended toillustrate the present invention. It will be obvious to those skilled inthe art that the invention can be varied and modified in many ways,without deviating from the scope and spirit of the invention disclosedin the attached claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A telecommunication system comprising:subscribers, a subscriber network, terminals for connecting thesubscribers with the subscriber network, a set of services containingservices provided by the network and supplementary services transmittedby the network, memory means including for at least one networksubscriber not less than two different subscriber-specific serviceprofiles including services defined for the subscriber from the set ofservices, changing means for changing the service profile being used bythe subscriber to another service profile, and update means responsiveto the changing means for sending the service settings of the serviceprofile to units comprising information needed for providing theservices.
 2. A telecommunication system as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising a time counter for changing the subscriber service profile toa predetermined service profile at a predetermined point of time,wherein the changing means is arranged to be responsive to the timecounter.
 3. A telecommunication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein thesubscriber network is a mobile communication network, the terminal is amobile station user, and the set of services includes terminal setting.4. A telecommunication system as claimed in claim 3, wherein thechanging means is arranged to change the service profile in response toa terminal location change.
 5. A mobile station comprising: atransceiver for establishing a network connection, the transceiver beingarranged to send and receive messages, identification means foridentifying a subscriber using the mobile station, message composingmeans for providing an inquiry message for detecting at least onesubscriber-specific service profile of the subscriber, the serviceprofile including services defined for the subscriber and settings whichare defined from the network-specific services, the supplementaryservices transmitted by the network and the settings specific for themobile station, the inquiry message indicating the subscriber and theservice profiles to be detected, reception means for receiving anacknowledgement message including all subscriber service profiles andtheir contents inquired in the inquiry message, a user interface fordisplaying each received service profile to the subscriber, changingmeans for changing a first available service profile used to a secondservice profile, and setting means responsive to the changing means forchanging the values of the mobile station settings in accordance withthe second service profile.
 6. A mobile station as claimed in claim 5,wherein the message composing means is arranged to detect a serviceprofile basis as the service profile in the inquiry message, the serviceprofile basis including all the services and setting defined for thesubscriber, the user interface is arranged to receive instructions fromthe subscriber, and the mobile station includes composing means forforming a third service profile by selecting from the service profilebasis the services and settings of the third service profile in responseto the instructions of the subscriber, and by setting to them set valuesin accordance with the subscriber instructions.
 7. A mobile station asclaimed in claim 5, wherein the reception means is arranged to receive achange message indicating at least the change of the first serviceprofile to the second service profile, and the changing means isarranged to be responsive to the reception of the change message.
 8. Amobile station as claimed in claim 5, wherein the message composingmeans is arranged to be responsive to the changing means and to provideupdate messages for the units including the information needed inproviding the services.
 9. A subscriber register being a part of atelecommunication network and offering the network subscribers a set ofservices including network-specific services and supplementary servicestransmitted by the network, the subscriber register comprising: asubscriber-specific service profile list for at least one networksubscriber, the list including not less than two different serviceprofiles, the service profiles containing at least a part of theservices that are defined for the subscriber from the set of services,reception means for receiving an inquiry message indicating thesubscriber and at least one service profile, message composing meansresponsive to the reception means for providing an acknowledgementmessage including all subscriber service profiles and their contentsindicated in the inquiry message, and transmission means for sending theacknowledgement message.
 10. A subscriber register as claimed in claim9, wherein the reception means is arranged to receive a profile changemessage indicating a new profile, the message composing means isarranged to provide update messages for service units includinginformation needed for providing services in response to the receptionof a profile change message, and the transmission means is arranged tosend the update messages.
 11. A subscriber register being a part of atelecommunication network and offering the network subscribers a set ofservices including network-specific services and supplementary servicestransmitted by the network, the subscriber register comprising: asubscriber-specific service profile list for at least one networksubscriber, the list including not less than two different serviceprofiles, the service profiles containing at least a part of theservices that are defined for the subscriber from the set of services,reception means for receiving a profile change message indicating thesubscriber and at least one service profile, message composing meansresponsive to the reception means for providing update messages forservice units including information needed for providing services, andtransmission means for sending the update messages.
 12. A method forcontrolling subscriber-specific service profiles in a telecommunicationnetwork providing network-specific services and transmittingsupplementary services, the method comprising: defining a set ofservices for each network subscriber, the set of services includingservices defined for the subscriber from the network-specific servicesand supplementary services and subscriber terminal settings if theterminal can change its settings, forming for at least one subscribernot less than two different service profiles both including at least oneservice from the set of services, storing each formed service profile ina subscriber-specific service profile list, changing a first serviceprofile used by the subscriber to a second service profile and, inresponse to the service profile change, updating the subscriber-specificvalues of the units needed in providing services associated with thesubscriber service profile to